EU does not recognise Lukashenko: Borrell

The European Union does not recognise embattled leader Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, the bloc’s diplomatic chief said on Tuesday.

Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, told the European Parliament the August 9 election that returned the veteran strongman to power was fraudulent. Lukashenko has faced huge protests against his rule since the disputed ballot and widespread condemnation from the international community for a brutal crackdown on demonstrators by his security forces.

"The situation is clear for us. We consider the elections of August 9 fraudulent," Borrell told the parliament. "We don’t recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus." The EU has already said it does not recognise Lukashenko’s reelection as legitimate and is in the process of preparing sanctions against those responsible for rigging the vote and cracking down on protests.

Borrell said more than 7,500 peaceful protesters have been detained and 500 cases of torture have been documented. But diplomats say the EU sanctions on Belarus are being blocked by Cyprus, which is demanding measures against Turkey first in a dispute over natural gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean.

Borrell said the EU’s credibility was at stake and urged member states to pass the sanctions -- which need a unanimous vote -- before their summit in Brussels at the end of next week.